Jack Wilshere won’t scrimp on the footballing fundamentals but will take a methodical approach to introducing his ideas at Luton Town, stressing that early success will depend on understanding the squad before making wholesale changes.
The rookie Luton manager faces Mansfield Town at Kenilworth Road today in his first game in charge, having only been unveiled on Monday, but he said the response from his players has given him confidence that his ideas will take hold.
Training, he said, has been competitive and full of energy, making his first team selection a difficult one as he focuses on laying foundations for a new long-term identity.
“It’s about finding the balance,” Wilshere said; adding: “We want to play with purpose, to dominate when we can, but we have to earn that right first. That’s where it starts.”
That will mean gradual evolution rather than chasing instant transformation, as he said: “I really understood what we had, the time we had and then that gives me an opportunity to decide where we go with it. Of course, I have an idea of how I see the game and how I want it to be played. But I think I said at the start, it’s my job to work out what we need and try and introduce it slowly while winning games.”
Wilshere said he had already seen enough to believe the squad is stronger than recent results suggest, but added that rediscovering belief and composure will be just as important as tactics.
“I think that’s clear for everyone to see,” he said. “When you’re thinking about coming somewhere and you spend hours watching games and clips, the overriding feeling is that we’ve got a really good squad. We’ve probably conceded some cheap goals, and we know goals change games, so we have to be able to deal with those situations better and stay calm. Especially in this league, there are a lot of random moments where you can dominate a game and still find yourself 1-0 down. We need to be calm in those moments and trust that we’ve got a good squad.
“We’ve got players we can put in better positions to do more of what they’re good at. When I look at the wingers, I think, wow — we’ve got a real threat in those areas. It’s about giving them more opportunities to show what they can do.”
While his background at Arsenal shapes how he sees the game, Wilshere is keen to build a version of Luton that feels authentic to the club rather than imported from elsewhere.
“I’ve got clear ideas of how I want the team to play, but I think it’s really important that we recognise what we’ve got here already,” he said. “There’s something about this club that’s special. The way the fans are, the connection with the players, the energy in the stadium — we have to keep that and add to it, not rip it up and start again. That’s something I’ll try and bring, but just adding to what’s already here.”
Wilshere also acknowledged that discovering some defensive solidity must underpin any evolution.
“I think the big thing is the mentality,” he said. “I always reference it back to me as a player — I hated defending. I know there are players who just want the ball and want to have fun with it, but football is two sides of the game. We have to make sure that in transition moments, soft goals are limited. If it takes 85 minutes to score and we win 1-0, we don’t care. We just have to keep doing the right things.”
He described his tactical ideas as a framework that will grow with the players, rather than a fixed blueprint.
“I obviously have an idea of how I see it and the shape,” Wilshere said. “But I’m a big believer that it’s so much more than just structure. There are different phases and moments in the game. Shape comes into it, but it’s about putting players in positions where they’re doing the things they like more often, rather than asking them to do things they’re not comfortable with. Confidence has probably been affected since we were in the Premier League, and that plays a part too.”
The 33-year-old added that his coaching philosophy will always start with unity, work rate and clarity — qualities he believes define the best teams and will underpin everything he tries to build at Kenilworth Road.
“What is Luton about? And Luton is about having energy, being hardworking, winning duels, getting the fans on side,” he said. “Modern stadiums now are often big and distant, but we’ve got something different here. There’s loads of tradition, loads of history, and you actually feel it when you’re there. We need to use that every time we play.”
Wilshere also has the challenge of introducing new tactical structures while respecting the unpredictability of League One, saying adaptability will be just as important as philosophy.
“There’s so many random moments that we have to be ready for everything,” he said. “It’s not like in the Premier League where things can be a little bit more structured and you get more time to build. Here, you’ve got to be prepared for second balls, transitions, quick turnarounds. The detail matters — but so does the fight.”
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